


What started with pretend

by MatrimexiaX



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Fluff, Getting Together, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-04
Updated: 2019-01-04
Packaged: 2019-10-04 04:40:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17297957
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MatrimexiaX/pseuds/MatrimexiaX
Summary: “So I guess we have no choice,” Ace sighed, rubbing his temple to ease his headache that transpired from the situation. Collecting himself, he said the words he never thought he would utter.“Usopp, be my boyfriend.”





	What started with pretend

"Well? What happened? I want all the details!" Usopp demanded to his companion, Ace, who had a guilty look washed over his face.

“Sorry, I didn’t mean for it to happen,” Ace ran a hand over his hair. “We might have let it slip the other day when Luffy came to the room and he might have heard us.”

“What? You can’t be serious? It’s Luffy so there should not be any problem.” Usopp dismissed confidently. “I doubt that he would fully grasp the situation.”

“What do you mean?” 

“Are we talking about the same the guy? Luffy does not care for that kind of stuff and his head is filled with thoughts of meat anyway so-“

“My brother is not like that!” Ace answered defensively, before deciding to go back to the matter at hand even though it still pains for no one to see his little brother’s greatness. “And how can you say he doesn’t understand when he goes telling your dad about what happened.”

“Wait, what did you say?” Usopp exclaimed in panic. “My dad knows?!”

He recalled the situation that started the fiasco. He had wanted to ask his longtime crush, Kaya, out on a date and he was conveniently practicing his lines to Ace and apparently at the same time the raven haired strawhatted teen was listening.

“He told me ‘Oh Yasopp called by the way but I told him Usopp is busy confessing to you so he couldn’t talk to him.’” Ace explained. “And worst of all, your dad wants to meet me.”

“Huh? Why didn’t you say so sooner, Ace.” Usopp said. “My dad knows and wait what?!”

“So I guess we have no choice,” Ace sighed, rubbing his temple to ease his headache that transpired from the situation. Collecting himself, he said the words he never thought he would utter.

“Usopp, be my boyfriend.”

````  
Usopp knows that he isn’t a stranger when it comes to lying. In fact, it is a habit of his to spout lies and he is quite aware that many do not fall for them but he still could not see how his father fell for it that easily.

They came over his father’s place a few days later, and after a meal his father approached them with a huge smile plastered on his face.

“Hey Dad, I just want to say that what Luffy says about our relationship is-“Usopp began but he was quickly cut off by his father.

“I approve, son. There is no need to be ashamed of your preference.” Yasopp said and patted his son’s shoulder in reassurance. “To be honest, I thought the whole thing was a hoax until I saw your boyfriend here today.”

“What are you saying? Your son and I are not like that.” Ace intervened, a quizzical look in his face. “I’m sorry but I believe that there is a misunderstanding.”

“Nonsense! I could see how much you care for him,” Yasopp simply smiled and turned to Ace with a serious look to say. “So I take it that you would take good care of him, his mother would be proud to see someone close by his side to treasure him.”

After turning to the other in a manner that implies ‘What, now?’ and a very uncomfortable silence, Usopp decided to end the matter saying that the raven would do so and that they really need to go.

````  
“Wait could you repeat that?!” Nami demanded when he confided in her what had happened.

“I said that Ace and I are now dating all because I- Nami, why are you smiling like that?!” 

“I knew it! See Vivi and I bet on if the two of you would be together. She said that it was impossible since she said you liked Kaya, but I always have a feeling that you two have something special.” Nami explained, suddenly radiating a very happy aura. “I knew that you could do it Usopp!”

“Thanks, I guess.” He swallowed a gulp and decided to play along. After all, the redhaired girl in front of him was happy. If he were to tell her the truth, she would get angry and in no way is he ready to face her wrath.

But seriously, why is everyone taking him and Ace dating in stride? 

`````  
It had been a simple plan: date for a few months and fake breaking up in order to keep everyone’s expectations of them dating afloat.

Except at the same time, it wasn’t so simple. How could it be when almost every time they meet for a ‘date’ Ace would still fall asleep at random times of the day and draw them weird looks with his snoring then people would be nudging the guy’s shoulder in concern to see whether the guy was alive. Not to mention Usopp had to make a point in forcing the raven to put on a shirt, because no way is it appropriate to be going out with a half-naked guy.

Then there was the time Ace had spotted his precious little brother being ‘busy’ with another guy who called himself Law. Needless to say, he was forced to restrain the dude from beating up Luffy’s boyfriend for ‘defiling’ his brother. The end result was grudging accepting from Ace after Luffy had made it known that ‘He wants to stay with Torao.’ But not without the warning that Law better take good care of his little brother or else Ace would be out for his blood.

However, he would also be lying if he said that Ace was a completely bad boyfriend. In fact, faults aside, Ace made sure that each date ends with him walking Usopp back home with the insistence that it was ‘only right’ for him to do so, as well as surprising him with gifts that he would present to him.

And he wonders to himself when holding the raven’s hand became a normal routine for him. It is when his heart started beating wildly against his chest every time Ace was in close proximity or even when he simply smiled at him that Usopp came to a realization. 

It is the realization that he wants to be with Ace. He never felt strongly about a person before even with Kaya that it terrifies him because he knows that it is only a matter of time when everything would go back to normal.

````  
True to his thoughts everything ended on the fourth month of their ‘relationship’. It had been a regular day before a text message asking to meet in Usopp’s place kickstarted the event that followed.

“Hey, Usopp I called over to say something to you,” Ace began with a serious look shadowing his face. 

“What is it? You’re making me nervous when you’re all serious like that.” He chuckled to lighten the tense atmosphere, but his ‘boyfriend’ continued to struggle with his words for a few minutes.

“I think we should break up.” The phrase was something he anticipated, yet they still managed to catch him off-guard.

“It is for the best that we stop before everyone thinks that we are completely serious.” Ace said after another moment of silence. 

“You’re right.” Usopp nodded. “Sorry to have gotten you caught up in my mess.”

“I’ll be taking my leave then.” Ace slung his bag over his shoulder and walked over to the front door. “See you later, I guess.”

He watched as Ace’s figure started distancing further and further away from him. He almost found himself calling out over to him, but he stopped himself because what they have wasn’t real.

‘You’re a coward.’ He thought to himself, as he was slumped over the couch and contained in his own wild thoughts of what could have been.

`````  
“Huh? Nami what are you doing here?” He was surprised to find the girl outside the doorway of his apartment.

“I heard about what happened with Ace.” Nami stated. “I wanted to check if you were okay, since Ace seemed pretty broken down when he told me.”

“Is that the case?” He commented in mild surprise. “Anyway you do not need to worry about me because I’m fine, it wasn’t real anyway….” 

He muttered the last part and it slipped by accident but his friend heard it nonetheless. She took a moment to register his words before reacting with appropriate bafflement.  
“It wasn’t real? What do you mean? What lies have you come up with again, Usopp?!” 

“I swear that I’m not lying,” Usopp opened the door to his apartment wider and gestured for the girl to enter inside. “W-W-Wait don’t freak out okay? I’ll explain to you everything from the beginning.”

A couple of minutes of explaining later and he found himself in the company of a very angry redheaded girl.

“Are you an idiot or what?!” 

“I’m really sorry. I know you made the bet and all. Please don’t kill me!”

“It’s not just about the bet Usopp.” Nami said after she had calmed down and she mentally apologizing to Ace before saying the next words. “Listen Ace told us to keep it a secret but I guess it would best to tell you.”

````  
‘He always like you for a long time Usopp.’

Nami’s words repeated as he dashed out the street. People were staring at him funny, but he didn’t care.

‘He was planning on confessing his feelings to you the day you said you were rehearsing your lines on what you would say to Kaya. He told all of us that to me, Vivi, Luffy and even your dad.’

‘Even my dad?’

‘Yes, he wanted to ask for his blessing. You were probably wondering why he was calling all of a sudden. It is because in your dad’s words he wanted to confirm your relationship with Ace and if he was indeed worthy for his blessing’

He was so stupid, so stupid. How could he not have noticed that within every smile Ace sent him was real?  
If even Luffy was aware then how blind could he have been?

‘You know Ace told me on the day after he had broken up with you that he felt that he broke up with you because he could not stand feeling one-sided in your relationship.’

He skidded to a stop as he reached his destination. Ace’s house was in view and the door bell ringing only added to his nerves as he would a few seconds later meet the face of Ace.

‘I never once thought he would be feeling that way. But, if he was feeling that way then you need to ask yourself. Usopp, are your feelings for him just another lie?’

“What is with that get-up, Usopp?” Ace stared at the man in front of him, as his eyes scrutinized the other’s red cape and mask.

“It never was a lie!” He cut the other’s stare with his words.

“What do you mean?” Ace tilted his head in confusion. “And would you please take off that mask already, you’re kinda making me uncomfortable with you wearing that.”

“But I’m ashamed!” Usopp countered. “I mean Usopp-kun told me to tell you he has feelings for you and that he had always love you, see he told me as his friend to say it to you.”  
‘It was not a lie since I always love him’

“What are you even saying?” Ace collapsed into laughter. “If you were going to be saying such things, tell me yourself because that ridiculous disguise just won’t cut it and who is Sogeking anyway we all know it is just you.”

‘I’m such a coward’ He thought as he reached up to remove his mask and the other’s giggles stopped at that.

“Much better.” Ace said and Usopp could not stop the blush from erupting on his face. He quickly gathered the courage to say the next words.

“I’m sorry for being a coward even though I had hurt you.” Usopp said. “Ace, I thought our relationship started out as another one of my lies. But it’s not like that, it was always you, Ace who I want to be with. I thought it was Kaya, but I was wrong and I apologize for not noticing your feelings sooner.”

“Geez you gave me trouble ‘till the end.” The smile on Ace’s face was a genuine one, perhaps the first one he had that day. “I thought for sure that I only have one troublesome brother to look after, but I should have known that you would give me trouble when I decided that I love you.”

“I-I, for you, I love you too Ace.” Usopp returned the smile Ace gave him with one of his own. 

“Can I kiss you now?”

“What do you need to ask for?!” 

“This coming from a person who wore such a goofy disguise because he was ashamed….”

“Just get on with it already?!” Usopp stammered, face red as he leaned forward to meet the lips of his now real boyfriend.

“I didn’t know how hard it is kiss someone with a long nose.” Ace claimed once they were apart to the other’s cries of ‘you can’t blame someone for something he can’t help!’ 

“I know but I love you all the same for it anyway.”

**Author's Note:**

> So this is the first story for this fandom that I would be posting. I wrote this as a practice and it came out quite okay so I thought that I could upload it here.


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